Monday, August 30, 2010

I can contain myself no longer. I've been thinking about him for months. He's virtually the last person I see before I close my eyes every night. I said virtually. He used to be jittery and made me jumpy. I had to look away his first weeks on the air. Then slowly I turned, and step by step, he relaxed into the best talk show host on late late night TV. He's an extraordinary mimic. A nimble singer and dancer. He makes every guest better, funnier, looser, livelier-- because HE's having such a good time.

The comedy bits are genius. The wet and wild "Competitive Spit Takes." The improbably good "Battle of the Instant Bands." The unpredictably effervescent "Dance Your Hat and Gloves Off." The hilariously kooky spaceshot chanting HUBBLE GOTCHU!!! And finally,the sublimely droll nightcap at the end of every week, with its wistful musical accompaniment: "Thank You Notes." Tears are rolling down my eyes as I think about this. And now I'm remembering "Robert(as in Pattinson) Is Bothered." And the dead-on "Lost" take-off called "Late." And "The Real Housewives of Late Night." Jimmy is the prettiest, except for maybe Renee.

And Did I mention the hippest band on TV today-- THE ROOTS led by ?uestlove who takes the wackiest soundbites of the week and proceeds to "Remix The Clips"?! And how about the most brilliant bit of all, executed with hilarious aplomb by NBC's cool on wry newsman Brian Williams: prepare to die laughing as he, The Roots, and yes, Jimmy Fallon groove on "Slow Jammin' The News."

Jimmy just hosted the best Emmy Awards in recent memory. Anyone who saw his opening number Sunday night has to agree: he's the guy to watch right now. Gotta go--he's on right now. Good night!

3 comments:

Love Craig Ferguson--he's extremely smart, articulate, and vamps forever without cue cards in the opening monologue--it's really something. His show is a bit more claustrophobic however--no band, no audience, not a lot of sketch comedy and that skeletor bit is getting tiresome. Jimmy's more versatile--he lifts me up. But right now I'd say there's an embarrassment of riches on the late night host front!

Yeah, I really wasn't impressed by Fallon on SNL (where he seemed really stoned all the time) or when he started at Late Night, but he really has evolved quite a bit and seems to have come into his own.